Fly Me To The Moon
by Sailor Coruscant
Summary: A Sailor Moon / Lois and Clark Crossover. Serena is sixteen and lives in Metropolis. She's hasty and a crybaby, partway through High School, but she has a secret. Actually, she's not the only one. Her friend Clark also has a secret he's not sharing...
1. Chapter One

Author's note: Before I go any further with this, I should point out to you all that this work is entirely the result of a dare. Also, it's not the only story I'm working on, so you shouldn't expect chapters more than once a month. I'm sorry about that, but I do have real stories to write, and not a lot of time for a dare that's actually a rewrite of something I had planned in high school. The other thing is, this story is a mixed up mess of the canons of both series, but I hope you figure out right away just where we are in the grand scheme of things.   
My reasoning behind the mix of cultures that is Serena's name comes from the students where I teach (Sydney Institute of Business Technology). One of the things I've noticed about the majority of international students, in particular the Asian ones, is that they often take on a 'normal' (English) name at their new schools. For example, my dear friend Thanh prefers Mary, and Hong became Amanda. So, anyway, Usagi goes by Serena in this story most of the time, because that was what I called her when I first wrote the beginnings of this story. The other names are a mix of dub and real names, oh and Molly and Naru are separate people.

**Fly Me To The Moon**

Chapter One

_I'm Usagi Serena Tsukino, I am sixteen years old, and I am in my second year of high school. I'm a bit rash, and a crybaby sometimes, but to tell the truth I'm really -_

"Serena, you're going to be late!" Her mother called out enthusiastically, and Serena, somewhat reluctantly, looked up from her new diary at the clock. Her eyes widened as she realised just how much time she had spent staring at the blank page. She picked up her pen and scrawled a few last words in messy handwriting.

_- running really late for what will be one of the most exciting days of my life!_

Shoving both diary and pen in her bag, Serena ran from her room, stopping at the front door of their apartment to pull on her shoes. She had opened the door and was about to call the elevator when she heard her mother's voice calling her back.   
She half-turned, and dashed back into the apartment when she saw what her mother was holding: her bento box full of yummy food for lunch. Serena heard the sound of the elevator's arrival and ran out of the apartment, shouting out her thanks as she went.   
Once down on the street, she ran to the subway station, using her student travel pass to get through the gates as she did every day, jumping on the first train to appear. There were no seats free, so she stood, one hand reaching into her bag to check the directions that she had so carefully written out the day before. She would get off the subway after two stops, much sooner than she usually did for school.   
For the first time, Serena allowed herself to be a little nervous about what was going to happen. After all, she really had no idea what to expect. One hand reached up, cautiously checking that her long blonde hair was still neat, tied up in her customary style: twin pigtails, reaching down to below her knees, each topped by a round bun. Ever since she was a child Serena had worn her hair like that, she never knew what had possessed her to start tying it like that. And although people were used to girls with unusual hairstyles in Japan where she had grown up, here in America most of the girls at school thought she was a little odd for wearing her hair like that. Then again, in Japan they had all worn uniforms to school, so the only chance to be creative was in how she tied her hair. Oh well, it was her own style, and Serena had never really cared about what people in general thought of her. Only her friends mattered, and her family.   
Serena and her family had moved to Metropolis from Tokyo a year previously, when her father was transferred to work for one of the magazines in this city. She had not objected at the time, looking forward to the experience. But while her English had been reasonably good in school, it was entirely different to have to speak it all the time for real, and to learn to think in another language was tricky. But Serena had gotten the hang of it, most of the time, and now she was even reporting for the school paper, something she had thought not possible.   
And it was her love of writing, both in her native tongue and English, that had led to her getting this wonderful opportunity. Serena had not even known the Chiara Award existed, let alone how one got nominated for it, but it turned out that every year her school submitted one issue or article from their archive to some particular board or another, and it had been decided by them that her story about how the history of her high school was being destroyed with the demolition of one of the old buildings was the best thing written by a high-school-aged student that year. The prize, one day visiting, doing 'work experience' they called it, at the Daily Planet, the one newspaper that everyone in Metropolis read, or at least it seemed that way.   
The train stopped, and Serena jumped off somewhat enthusiastically, realising that she still had plenty of time to get to the Planet building. The letter had said to arrive at nine-am, but she had left at the same time as she would for school, which started at quarter to. Serena smiled and left the subway station with a bounce in her step and her bag in hand.   
Feeling excited and just a little light-headed with anticipation of whatever would happen when she got to spend a day at a real newspaper, like she'd always wanted to, Serena wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to where she was going, and so she found herself crashing into someone walking in the opposite direction, so that both of them feel to the ground in a tangle of limbs.   
She got back to her feet quickly, knowing how clumsy she was had made it important for her to develop good reflexes about such things. She offered a hand at the man she had knocked down, and he took it, getting to his feet. She took a good look at him then, eying silently the nice cut of his clothes, although the green colour of his eyes was a little icky. He had gorgeous black hair and had a nice face, although his sunglasses hid his eyes from view.   
He sneered at her for a second. "You really should watch where you're going, odango atama", he said, walking past her. It took a moment before she realised that he had insulted her in Japanese rather than the English in which he had spoken the rest of the sentence, as if he had not expected her to understand. Well, Serena stomped a foot, turning to scream at his retreating back, showing he was not the only bi-lingual one around there.   
"I am not a dumpling-head, baka!"   
Serena turned again, continuing on her way without looking back, so she did not see the quizzical look directed at her by him as he lifted his glasses to stare with eyes so dark a blue that they were almost black at the retreating form of the beautiful girl who had just called him an idiot. 

A strange yowling noise caused Serena to stop and look past a gate into a car park. She stepped forward, seeing a group of young boys huddled around something, giggling over the source of the screams. "Hey, stop that!" Serena cried, not caring what they were doing. She ran towards them and they saw her, getting to their feet and scattering. "Honestly", she sighed as she looked after them.   
Serena looked down at what had been the object of the boy's attention. It was a small black cat, who looked very put out by what had happened. "Oh, poor thing, there there…" Gently, not fearing the cat's claws, Serena picked her up to have a closer look. A bandage cross marked the centre of her forehead, and the cat seemed almost to be burning with fever. "Hey, band-aids on your head?" Serena mused, as the cat seemed to try and scratch them off. "I'll take them off for you, ok! Ok!" Serena put the cat down on her lap so that she could better hold her and remove the bandages. "The X-mark does look cute on you, though", she said with a smile. The black cat closed her eyes as Serena pulled the sticky pieces of plastic from her forehead. Her brown eyes opened wide with shock, and Serena felt her own blue eyes widen as she looked down on the crescent-shaped mark beneath the band-aids. "Hey! A crescent moon bald spot?" she found herself asking of no one.   
The cat suddenly jumped off Serena's lap, spring-boarded off her head and landed on a nearby car. She stood there, staring unnervingly at Serena, who stood up holding her bag in front of her. The cat took a few steps forward, and, correspondingly, Serena stepped backwards. Suddenly, the sound of a clock chiming a few blocks away made her look at her watch in alarm. "Oh no", Serena cried, "I don't have time for this!"   
Quickly she turned and started running.

The Daily Planet building had to be one of Serena's favourites in the whole of Metropolis. There was something majestic about the great metal globe above the doors, something that always made her smile. This was the first time she had ever actually been inside the building before. A middle-aged woman sat behind a desk at the back of the large foyer, a sign near her reading 'enquiries'. Serena stepped forward and asked for Perry White, the name on her letter. With a frown, the office assistant gave Serena directions to the newsroom.   
A short while later, Serena stepped out of the elevator to be confronted with chaos and noise in large doses. People seemed to be moving all over the place, and everyone was talking to someone else. And despite the instructions she had been given, Serena really had no idea where she was meant to be. She stood still, watching for a few minutes, content to observe the activity around her, marvelling that these people around her were busy writing a newspaper, for it certainly didn't seem that organised. Reaching into her bag again, Serena drew forth the letter she had been given, reading over it again and looking around for someone to grab and ask for directions.   
A young man with a nice smile and a happy demeanour came over and looked intently at Serena. He was dressed almost casually, but still professionally, and Serena guessed that he was probably about the right age to be a college student. "May I help you, miss?" he asked in a gentle tenor voice.   
"I'm a little bit lost", she said, offering him her letter, "I was supposed to present myself to Mr White, but I have no idea where to look."   
His smile became much more genuine then and his eyes sparkled, but he didn't take the proffered piece of paper. "You want the chief then", he said, starting down the steps towards the chaos below. "Follow me." Serena nodded her head and did so, stepping carefully to avoid tripping. "I'm Jimmy Olsen", the young man said, "I'm a gofer around here."   
"A gofer?" Serena realised with some dismay that her accent was showing itself again as she tried to understand what the word meant in this context, "You don't look like a gofer."   
Jimmy smiled over his shoulder. "It means my primary function here is to fetch stuff for people. You know, I 'go for' it."   
"Oh", Serena blushed, "I understand now. My name is Serena."   
Jimmy had stopped outside a windowed door, knocking politely on it before sticking his head inside. "Chief, there's a cute girl here to see you", he said a little too loud for Serena's comfort.   
He was answered by a deep southern accent. "Send her in."   
Jimmy stepped back and held the door open for Serena. She stepped inside the office and took a quick look around, not really taking in anything other than the strange clock on the wall. Behind a large desk sat a somewhat intimidating looking man, whose eyes seemed kindly though his manner was a little gruff.   
"May I help you?"   
"Please sir", Serena began, floundering, "that is, are you Mr White? Because I have a letter…" She trailed off uncomfortably, stepping forward and placing the piece of paper on his desk, before bowing self-consciously in a respectful manner, well aware that his eyes were taking in every aspect of her behaviour.   
Feeling a little uncomfortable under his stare, Serena concentrated on not shifting her weight or looking nervous. Her face resolved itself into the perfect picture of confidence, something she had practiced so much before they had moved. Mr White took up the letter then, and glanced over it quickly.   
"Great shades of Elvis", he muttered to himself softly, before looking up, "I'd forgotten that you were coming today, girl." He got to his feet and offered a hand to her, which Serena took and shook gratefully. "Normally, I'd show you around the Planet myself for an hour or so, letting you see how it all works, but Lois Lane, you've heard of her", he didn't wait for Serena's nod of confirmation, "just brought in the scoop of the month and I'm a little busy trying to get it put in the afternoon edition. Jimmy!" Mr White called in a booming voice.   
"I understand sir. You have a paper to print and no time to waste on silly kids."   
"And normally I would waste the time. All of my staff were kids once, and you have to train them up right if they are to work in a proper newspaper."   
"Chief?" Jimmy poked his head around the door.   
"Serena here is to be your assistant today. Make sure she sees what it's really like around here as we try to get a paper out."   
"Sure, Chief", he grinned winningly at Serena who smiled shyly back.   
"Serena", Mr White said, "how long since you moved from Japan?"   
Her eyes widened and she wondered how he had figured that out. "Just over a year now, sir."   
"You write well considering how long you've been speaking English. I voted for you to win the prize." Serena blushed under the praise. "And for heaven's sake, girl, call me Chief, not sir."   
"Yes, sir-Chief", she corrected herself, and he nodded to her to say the interview was over. She and Jimmy walked back outside of the office, and Serena followed Jimmy across the floor to a little corner that she presumed was his.   
He sat down at the table, it couldn't be called a desk, and smiled up at her. "So, what are you in for?" Jimmy asked, with another of his smiles. Serena couldn't help it; she smiled back.   
"I am here for work experience. I won the Chiara Award and the prize was a day off school to be spent here."   
"That sounds like a lot of fun. Well", he opened a drawer in the cupboard he was squished in next too, "chuck your bag in here so no one will find it, and let's get to work, shall we?" Serena did as he suggested, then followed Jimmy as he went about his job. 

Jimmy's job seemed to be to do whatever people told him to do. Admittedly, he had taken the photos of Superman that he spent an hour developing down in the dark room, but Lois Lane was the one who needed them for her latest story about the superhero, who apparently had saved an apartment building full of people from a fire the previous night. Jimmy lived in the area and so had run over and taken a number of photos, but it had been Lois Lane that the superhero had been talking to. But that wasn't her big scoop. Apparently it had been an exciting night, for Lois Lane and her partner Clark Kent had been investigating, and between them they had gotten the story.   
Serena had been introduced to the woman whose writing she so much admired when they took the photos back to the newsroom, but the reporter had been too busy to even spare her a glance, waving half-heartedly. Serena was unable to contain her disappointment at the curt dismissal by the smartly dressed woman, even though she understood its source. No doubt Miss Lane was a much nicer person when she wasn't obsessing over her work.   
No doubt seeing the emotions on Serena's face, the tall dark man sitting beside Miss Lane had stood, offering his hand and a warm smile at her. "Hi, I'm Clark Kent", he introduced himself to her.   
"My name is Serena Tsukino", she had replied, feeling a little better as the warmth of his smile washed over her, "It is nice to meet you, Mr Kent."   
He laughed. "Just call me Clark", he said happily. "Your name means 'calm of the moon', doesn't it?" He asked and she nodded, thankful that he didn't know her real name which meant 'rabbit', "that's really pretty, though I don't know you well enough to say if it suits or not."   
Feeling a little insulted, Serena stomped a foot. "That is very rude", she said, and on an impish whim, poked her tongue out at him.   
He surprised her by mimicking the gesture. "Serena, you had better get back to Jimmy. I think he needs your help searching through the records." She nodded as she realised that Clark's gaze had drifted to Miss Lane, who looked irritated at the banter and she bowed slightly before remembering that the movement would probably be misinterpreted by the Americans. 

As she and Jimmy sorted through the masses of financial records that someone had set them to checking in one of the conference rooms, Serena wondered at the relationship between Miss Lane and Clark. He was quite obviously in love with her, judging by the way he often glanced up just to look at her, and the way he tried to anticipate her every wish. But Miss Lane barely seemed to notice that her partner was even there. Clark didn't seem to mind at all, he did his utmost to hide his feelings from her to keep Miss Lane in a state of calm.   
And there was something else about Clark Kent, something she couldn't put her finger on. Despite having only met him today, she couldn't help but feel that she'd seen him before. There was something familiar about his face, but it was possible that he just had common features. Maybe she had known him in a past life.   
At some point, Jimmy went outside to the deli to fetch them some lunch "at the expense of the Planet", he assured her as she reached for her purse later. The manual sorting through of information was very boring, and Jimmy agreed with her about that, but it had to be done and the reporter wanting the particular record did not have time to do it. At one point, a snooty-nosed woman with a nice figure that seemed a little too perfect and perfectly arranged hair had stepped around the door, obviously looking for someone who wasn't Jimmy or Serena. She had sighed theatrically before leaving again.   
"Who was that?" Serena found herself whispering to Jimmy.   
"That's Cat", he sighed a little before continuing. "She writes the gossip column, Cat's Corner."   
It made sense once Serena thought about it. "Oh", she said politely, "She seems very pretty." Jimmy made a noise as if he was agreeing, while Serena thought that she thought it a little unlikely that someone like Cat had a lot of personality. But it wasn't her place to judge people, so she just got on with her work. Serena was only going to be at the Daily Planet for one day, she might as well make the most of it, ignoring those people who seemed a little too superficial to be working in such a place. 

At one point around the middle of the afternoon, as Jimmy was discussing with Miss Lane the nature of the information she wanted him to find online, Serena found herself wondering what her friends would be doing at that time. School would be out, so Molly and the others had probably headed to the mall, where they would hang around gossiping and drinking chocolate milkshakes until it was time to head home and get on with homework. Serena sighed, wishing she could join them. It was just that working here at the Planet with Jimmy was so boring, not at all what she expected working in a newspaper to be like. Somehow she had envisioned it to be a little more exciting, and that she would get to see a little more of investigative journalism than just sorting through financial records and tracking down exactly who sat beside who at that dinner Lex Luthor had held on the weekend.   
A loud bang followed immediately by a scream caused Serena's head to shoot up in alarm. All noise in the newsroom suddenly ceased as everyone turned in shock to see the five men holding guns standing at the top of the stairs. They were all of Arabic descent, grizzled and angry, with dark flashing eyes. The leader of the group, or so Serena assumed, led the way down into the centre of the newsroom, and he looked around as if trying to find a particular person. The others followed him calmly; their weapons trained on the people they walked past, one always watching the back.   
The leader turned to Miss Lane, and pointed his weapon at her. "You, Lois Lane, you will write for us. You will tell the world all our suffering. If you do not, all will die!" He spoke in such a thick accent that Serena could barely understand it.   
Slowly, carefully, Miss Lane nodded her head, and moved towards her computer. "I will write for you", she said softly, glancing out the window. She turned the computer on and sat down, waiting for it to boot. One of the men moved closer to her, looking over her shoulder. Serena guessed that it was his job to ensure that Miss Lane actually did type up the story they wanted.   
All were silent in the newsroom, save for the leader of the group of terrorists, who kept telling Lois his demands. She nodded faithfully and typed as he spoke. A small movement behind Serena caught her eye and she turned her head, to see Clark edging towards the door to a storage room. She wondered what on earth he could be doing, but then she remembered the window in the storage room.   
Clark must be going to call Superman, Serena thought in a flash of insight, but they are sure to notice as he sneaks off.   
But if someone distracted them, Serena realised, no one would see him go, and then Superman would arrive to save us.   
Serena stepped towards the nearest terrorist, her hands up and real tears forming in her eyes. "Please", she said in Japanese, hoping they would not understand, "Please let me go. I'm just a kid, I have to go home to my mummy and do my homework and play video games." The terrorist she was speaking to was probably the youngest of the group, and he glanced at the others to see if any of they could explain what this girl was crying over. He was answered by shrugs, and Serena realised that maybe she could achieve what Clark was trying to do and call for help herself.   
"Pretty please with sugar on top", she said, still in her natural tongue, tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm too young and beautiful to die. Someone has to come and save us, please come-" The terrorist stepped forward, holding his gun in one hand, and hit Serena across the face, so that she fell to the floor with a scream. Mr White was there, he helped her into a sitting position and pulled Serena into a hug, but she kept on sobbing as if hysterical the name, "Sugoihito", as though she was still begging for her life. Many of the actual employees of the Daily Planet were looking at Serena as if she had gone mad, but Mr White seemed to see something on Serena's face that made him not hush her, and Miss Lane gave her a quick quizzical look before going on with her typing.   
Suddenly there was a rush of wind through the newsroom, and Serena could have sworn she saw a flash of blue passing in front of her vision. Then quite suddenly the terrorists were looking at their hands in shock, the guns were not there, and then she could see as Superman tied them together using some electrical cord.   
"Judas Priest", Mr White murmured from his seat on the floor next to Serena, who got to her feet quite normally, feeling returning to her face in a haze of pain. Miss Lane had also stood up, and she was looking at Superman with obvious adoration shining on her face. Serena felt a little the same, having finally seen Superman up close and in action was not someone one could easily shrug off, but the pain she was feeling blurred the experience.   
"Is everyone alright?" Superman asked in an authoritarian tone of voice, and everyone seemed to nod their heads in unison, save for Serena who merely stood still, one hand clutched to her cheek and tears falling. "The police will be here in a minute or two to pick up this lot", he said, gesturing to the terrorists, and Mr White nodded.   
Then Superman turned to her, and Serena felt a blush creeping up on her face as he stepped towards her to cup a hand along her jaw. "You took a foolish risk distracting them like that. Clark would have been able to contact me without your help, and I think a few people would be upset if you got yourself killed needlessly, no matter how brave you were." Serena looked down at her feet, embarrassed beyond belief as he pointed out just how close she had been to her own death. But at the time, she had not cared, she just had to be sure that Clark would be able to sneak away.   
Superman placed a finger under her chin and pushed her head up until she met his eyes. They were a deep brown, and she couldn't help but notice how beautiful they were. In fact, everything about him spoke of perfection, every well-emphasised line of his body was placed just as it should, and when he smiled at Serena, she couldn't help but smile back despite her tears which wouldn't stop falling. "What is your name?" Superman asked gently, in Japanese.   
"Tsukino Usagi", she answered without thinking, before remembering, "but everyone calls me Serena here."   
"Well Usagi-Serena, if you want you can continue to call me Sugoihito, but everyone else calls me Superman." He chuckled and Serena giggled at the look on his face. "Thank you for what you did today." Superman looked around the room then, and Serena saw quite clearly the relief on his face as he saw Miss Lane, and there was some other indefinable emotion there that Serena could not place. He nodded to the reporter who grabbed a pen and paper from a desk and smiled hopefully. "Alright Lois, but just a few questions about today, okay?" He asked the question lightly, armed folded across his chest.   
Lois' answering grin could have lit up the room, and she guided the superhero to one of the conference rooms.   
The police came in through the door to the stairs at that point, rushing in to gather up the terrorists and start taking statements. Serena turned around at Mr White's polite coughing. "You couldn't help an old man up off the floor, could you girl?" he asked gruffly and she offered him a hand, pulling with all her strength to get him up, not that he actually seemed to need the help. "Once we are done talking to the police about this, I want to speak with you in my office, you hear me girl?" Serena could only nod, a sinking feeling taking hold in her stomach.   
"Yes Chief", she murmured dutifully, as he marched off to speak with one of the police officers. Another came up to talk to Serena as he knees started shaking and she found that she had to sit down before she could fall. 

Sometime later the police had left, save for a few officers who were mounting a guard of sorts just near the door. They were going to remain until the last of the main staff had gone home for the night, just in case another threat arose. Many of the staff members had very quickly finished their work for the day, disappearing as soon as they had spoken to the police officers taking statements about what had happened. Others, like Lois and Clark, seemed to have plans to stay late and write up what had happened, and Lois had been heard arguing with Mr White about whether or not it was front-page news.   
Serena had not done anything else all afternoon, she had told a police officer what she knew about what had happened, including her role, and afterwards Jimmy had gotten her a cup of tea and let her sit in silence. Serena suspected that she was probably in shock, just a little, as she sat holding her cooling cup of tea staring out of the window closest to her. She couldn't help but feel a little panicked about what had happened, and that she had dared to approach someone holding a gun, who could have killed her without any warning. And as she suddenly thought about it, Serena couldn't help but be a little glad that she would never have to return to the Daily Planet. Perhaps being a reporter was not a good career choice for her, it seemed a little too dangerous, if this is what a desk-job got her. Being out in the field, actually investigating, would be more than Serena could bear.   
No, she realised as she got to her feet to walk over to Mr White's office, she did not actually mind what she had been doing at the time. Facing danger had not upset Serena; it was dealing with it afterwards that had upset her. If she became braver, and chose her risks a little more carefully, she could be a reporter, Serena knew she could. She smiled as she realised that, and suddenly she felt a lot better. She had done some good when she called for Superman, she had made sure that the people of the Daily Planet were safe, because she was not sure that anyone else could or would be able to do the same. She did what she had to, and Serena suddenly realised that she would not do anything differently if she had to live out the situation again.   
Serena reached up a delicate hand and knocked on Mr White's door softly. He grunted and she opened the door carefully. "Chief?" she asked in a soft voice, peaking her head around the door.   
He was the only person in the room and he gestured her in. Serena closed the door behind her, approaching the desk apprehensively. "What the Sam Hill did you think you were doing out there earlier?" His eyes narrowed, and Serena felt herself blushing under his angry gaze.   
"I", she began, nervous now, "that is", she really couldn't think of how to phrase what she wanted to say, "well, I've never been in danger like that before. My first instinct was to call for Superman, but since I didn't want them to know what I was doing, it had to be in Japanese."   
"You realise that you endangered yourself more than anyone else by doing that?"   
"Of course", Serena said, looking a little confused and feeling even more so, "But I couldn't let anyone else take that sort of risk for me. I fight my own battles." She believed that; she would have been horrified if anyone else did what she had done. When it had to be done, she had not hesitated; she would always put herself before her friends. It didn't stop her from being terrified though.   
Mr White looked at her quizzically, before glancing down at the piece of paper before him. He then looked up at her, blue eyes smiling. "And I suppose Superman has already told you off for what you did?"   
"He was slightly more subtle about it, but yeah, he was so angry at me. Still, I wouldn't take it back. I did what I thought I had to."   
Mr White sighed theatrically. "The King save me from pushy women who always know how to do what's right", he murmured to the ceiling. Serena lost the last of her apprehension at the strange expression she did not understand in the least and grinned as Mr White shrugged and looked back up at her. "So girl, do you think you have time in your busy school schedule for a part-time job?"   
Serena had no idea how to react, and so looked much like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming freight train. "Me, sir?"   
"No, the blonde girl with pigtails behind you. Yes, you. I am always on the lookout for a budding reporter, and from your behaviour today I think you may have what it takes. So, what say you to working Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, and all day Saturday and Sunday for the weekend edition? You will only be working as a gofer like Jimmy, doing research and helping out the others, but I want to see every copy of your school's paper, and I want you practicing writing every chance you get. Minium wage, but you get experience that will stand you in good stead at any point in your career. You will have to keep up your current grades, and if you have a lot of schoolwork to do at any point you are to call and tell me that you cannot make it into work. Your education comes first at all times, and you know that." Finally, he seemed to realise that Serena had not said anything during his long spiel. He looked at her quizzically and Serena found herself sitting down opposite his desk, unable to stand up.   
"Now I know this has all just been a dream", she murmured, "I knew it was too good to be true."   
"It is real, and it is true", Mr White said to her with a gentle smile. "So, do you want to work for the Planet, Serena?"   
"Yes", Serena breathed.   
"Good. Then it's all settled. I will see you, not tomorrow, since I know you will have to catch up on the work you missed today, but Thursday, as soon as you can get here after school. Now, get out of my office." He said the last with a genuine smile and a shooing motion.   
"Yes, sir", Serena said dumbly, getting to her feet like an automaton and walking sedately back to Jimmy's desk to pick up her bag. Jimmy came running up to her then, a big smile on his face.   
"Well done, Serena, you really impressed the Chief." He said with a grin, and she found herself smiling back.   
"Thanks Jimmy, I don't know what I did, but I'm glad you're happy."   
"So, when will I see you again?"   
Serena suddenly realised that she was looking forward to seeing him when she next came into the planet. "Thursday afternoon. I'll see you then."   
As she walked out of the Planet, Serena noticed Clark's eyes on her. He was looking at her curiously, but quickly changed his expression when he realised that she had seen him staring. He smiled and mouthed the word "Congratulations" as she walked to the elevator. 

Serena came home to find a letter sitting calmly on her bed. It was decorated with stickers and stamps and had travelled all the way from Japan. The return address was that of her best friend Naru-chan, whom Serena had known since a child and who had she had been friends with since she was a child. Now they were only penpals, though they did write to each other frequently. Serena tore the letter open immediately, noting that it was dated two weeks ago as she started to read. 

_Dear Usagi,   
We're all missing you here. I in particular miss the excitement that always seemed to follow you everywhere you went, but something happened yesterday that was pretty exciting.   
Guess what? Umino and I are dating now! He finally asked me to date him, isn't that wonderful? Tomorrow we might kiss for the first time; I can hardly wait.   
Last night some strange monster attacked my mother's jewellery store. That sort of thing happens all the time in Tokyo, you know that, but when the monster attacked my mother, it started draining her energy and I thought she was going to die. But then, this girl, Sailor-V, appeared and she destroyed the monster with this magic compact of light or something. I don't really understand how it worked or anything, but Sailor-V was dressed in this cool outfit and she wore a pretty red mask.   
I read in the newspaper today that Sailor-V has been appearing all over Tokyo solving crimes and destroying monsters, and Motoki said that there's a Sailor-V video game coming out soon. Everyone thinks she's fantastic, better than any idol, she's even getting her own anime next week. I hope I get to meet her again, I want to ask for her autograph.   
Anyway, I have to go do my homework now. High School is so much harder than junior high.   
Miss you,   
Naru_

. Serena sat for some time, organising the events of the day in her mind so that she would be better able to tell Naru what had happened. As she lay down belly-flat on her bed, waiting for her mother to announce that dinner was ready, Serena reached for a piece of paper and started writing a reply. 

_Dear Naru,   
You are not going to believe what happened to me today. I met Superman! He was absolutely amazing, more exciting than any idol. I mean, the man can fly! It's taken a year of living in Metropolis, but I have a feeling I will be seeing more of him from now on… _


	2. Chapter Two

Author's Notes: Look, I'm really sorry this took so long to get out. Word ate it four times before I managed to get the ending of the chapter saved, and even then it was a shadow of what came before. *sighs* I promise, I'll write more soon, introducing my characters a little better and throwing in a decent introduction to the bad guys (yes, it's not just an angst-filled story, there are 3D bad guys). Big hugs to all who commented and thanks for the suggestions. I do plan on using most, and of course giving you all credit. By popular demand, I've created a mailing list for this story at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailormoon_Superman_Crossovers, for notification of updates, but also discussion if people so desire it.  
Catherine. 

**Fly Me To The Moon**

Chapter Two

_Yesterday was really surreal. You know that feeling you get, when suddenly all this amazing stuff seems to be happening, and you had no idea what to expect or that you should be expecting anything? That's what I feel like now. Nothing about my real life, school, home, any of it, seems real anymore, and I've only managed to spend six hours at the Daily Planet. I have no idea what will happen next and I hope a little that tomorrow afternoon is a little more sedate.   
Surely journalism isn't always that chaotic…  
I wonder why things like this always seem to happen around me, well, not the violent terrorists or meeting up with Superman, but just being near the focus of such a large chain of events. These things never seem to happen to anyone else. I never thought much about it before, but when Naru said in her letter that she had expected me to be there when Sailor-V showed up, it made me realise that I've probably seen more than my fair share of freaky coincidences and events._

Serena looked up in surprise as Miss Haruna called her name for the fourth time. Her teacher's face was angry, and her eyes flashed dangerously as she stood waiting for some response from the student. Surreptitiously sliding her diary off her desk, Serena searched the whiteboard for some sign of what was being asked of her. There was none.  
She looked back at Miss Haruna with a blush staining her cheeks. "I didn't hear the question", she said in a small voice, and someone at the back of the room laughed mockingly.  
Miss Haruna sighed, shaking her head. "Serena, you must pay attention if you wish to achieve good grades, in English class more than anything else, you know that."  
"I'm sorry, Miss", Serena barely caught back the 'Haruna-sensei' that threatened to slip out as she mumbled her embarrassed apology. When being publicly humiliated, she was more likely to slip back into her native tongue and mannerisms, just as a defence mechanism. Which of course led the other kids to tease her. Just as panic started to set in, Miss Haruna smiled warmly at her.  
"I won't put you on detention this time", she said, as she started giving out the homework. Serena wasn't entirely sure that some of the groans from around the class weren't caused by the teacher's leniency, but she bent to her work with renewed diligence, ignoring her diary for the moment. 

That afternoon, Molly and Serena headed to the shopping centre, looking for some release and comforting after Serena got back a bad test result. She understood why she had gotten the mark, but still, it was indeed disappointing. She would just have to study harder next time; that was all. But until then, she would visit every jewellery store in this part of Metropolis and drool over all the accessories she would not be able to afford for many years. And certainly not this month, since she had already blown her allowance.  
Their first destination (and probably the only one they were actually going to visit) was Osa*P, a classic-style jewellery store owned and run by Molly's mother. The two girls wandered in to find hand-written paper signs all over the stylish displays, stating that the jewels had all been reduced in price to a fraction of what they were before. Women of all ages were crowding everywhere, desperately trying everything they could get their hands on, deciding that they wanted to purchase it all.   
Standing on a stool behind a counter was Molly's mother, a tall woman with the same striking red hair as her daughter. She had fascinating eyes, and Serena found herself walking over to her as if mesmerised. As they neared, Molly's mother lifted a cheap megaphone to her mouth and began listing all the specials the store was offering for one day only. The analytic part of Serena's brain that was still functioning despite the lure of affordable real jewels wondered at the strangeness of this situation, but was then clobbered to death by the rest of Serena's mind.   
"Hi Mum", Molly called out, and the two schoolgirls were spotted and waved over to a place near the front of the crowd.  
"What are you two looking for?" Molly's mother asked, her eyes sparkling like the diamonds in the display.   
"We were thinking about looking for some imitation jewellery", Serena said honestly, "because I haven't got a lot of money."  
Molly's mother tsked loudly. "Serena, you are Molly's best friend in the whole world. You deserve real jewels, in gold settings." She reached under the counter and brought out a small box. Within sat a diamond ring, of a square cut, which Serena thought was actually meant to be an engagement ring. Beside it were two tiny diamond earnings, each set in gold and exquisitely beautiful. "I will sell you this for ten dollars", she said with a smile.  
Unfortunately, she had spoken too loudly, for the woman who had been crowding Serena's left side had heard and screamed out, "Ten dollars! I will pay you twelve for that set!", and promptly pushed Serena and Molly away from the counter. Other women were suddenly pushing and screaming, desperate to get to that ultimate bargain.   
Serena was thrown to the ground and decided in an instant that she had to get out of that shop. She crawled carefully; dodging a few times as the sudden throng of people surrounded her and threatened to trample her into non-existence. When she glanced to the side she realised that Molly was doing the same thing.   
Finally she had broken free, and got to her feet somewhat warily. Molly was looking decidedly frazzled, much the same way Serena felt. "Where's Superman when you need him?" Serena sighed, shaking her head.   
"Dunno", Molly murmured, looking back over the store. "Serena, I might stay here and keep an eye on my mum, okay?"  
"Yeah, of course", Serena said, feeling like there was nothing she wanted more than to escape from the shopping centre and hide in her nice quiet room for a little while. "I'll see you tomorrow in Maths. Have fun."  
Serena shouldered her bag and walked from the store, noting with some satisfaction the change in volume once the sliding doors closed behind her. 

Sometime later, after she had eaten dinner and taken a nice relaxing bath, Serena found herself putting the finishing touches on her homework. As she scribed the last answer to the problems she had been address, she sighed happily, reaching for the bar of chocolate she had been munching on. She took a bite, then yawned, realising that she should be heading to bed shortly. So, much to her disappointment, the chocolate was put away and her teeth brushed. Serena then finally curled up under her blankets, not noticing that she had left the window open a crack.   
When a small body landed on her sleeping form a few minutes later, Serena shot up in bed, barely suppressing a cry of absolute panic. The heavy weight was thrown off her, onto the floor, but it almost immediately jumped back onto the bed, this time avoiding landing on Serena who gasped in shock.   
"You're the cat with the crescent moon bald spot!" She said in absolute amazement, wondering how the cat had tracked her down and why. The sudden appearance of a black cat in her bedroom in the middle of an apartment block in the middle of the night was starting to freak Serena out just a little.  
"It's not a bald spot", the cat said quite calmly, in the voice of a teenage human girl, as she settled herself on the bed.   
It is not surprising to note that Serena was quite suddenly freaked out, wondering if she was dreaming, hallucinating, or if there was something in the water here in America that made it possible for cats to talk.  
"The cat talked?" Serena breathed to no one in particular.  
"My name is Luna", the cat said, smiling in a peculiar feline fashion that suggested she knew something Serena didn't. "I have been looking for you, Usagi-chan."  
"My name is Serena", Serena corrected distractedly, still trying to figure out how a cat could talk. Some kind of genetic experimentation perhaps?  
"Very well", Luna said, and Serena turned almost her full attention on the cat, which seemed to be about to say something important. A gift from Kami-sama?  
"First", Luna began, quite seriously, "let me thank you for taking those band-aids off my forehead. While they were on, I could not talk, and all of my powers were barely worth mentioning. And to make matters worse, I could not take them off myself. That was how I ended up in America actually. One minute, I was quite happily searching for you in Japan, the next, some kid had decided I belonged to her and I had to move with them to the opposite end of the world. I didn't have any say in the matter and was certain that I would never find my way to you until I figured out a way to get back to Tokyo, but here you were all along."  
Serena suddenly realised that she was actually talking to the cat in Japanese. Somehow it didn't seem that important though. "I used to live in Tokyo, but I moved to Metropolis last year", she said confusedly.  
Finally something clicked in Serena's brain. She had been studying too long and she was now hallucinating. The best way to solve that problem therefore would be to do something as opposite to studying as possible, which would be sleep. "Goodnight Luna", she said, rolling over in bed and pulling the covers up high so she couldn't see the strange cat sitting on her bed.   
"Usagi-chan, this is not a dream!" Luna said, but to no response. She seemed a little taken aback by this, since she really was expecting Serena to demonstrate some form of reaction to her words. But Serena had quite clearly decided she was going to pretend the talking cat did not exist, although if Luna had looked closely enough she might have seen Serena's eyes poking out from under the blanket to stare at her in disbelief.   
"Fine", Luna said, "this will stop you from believing it is a dream." She suddenly leapt into the air, doing a stylish double-flip and landing on her feet. However, Serena did not see the landing, for at the height of Luna's acrobatics, a flash of light had appeared in the air, which materialised into a gorgeous golden broach. Decorated with a special crescent moon insignia, Serena fell in love with the piece of jewellery instantly, and as she sat up in bed one hand reached towards it. "That is for you", Luna said, seeing Serena's hesitation.  
"Can I really keep it?" Serena said, for some unknown reason accepting the sudden surrealness of her life. She picked up the broach and affixed it to the front of her top, untangling herself from the bed and walking over to the mirror.  
"Many strange incidents have been happening in Metropolis", Luna began seriously from her post on the bed, before she realised that Serena was so entranced by her reflection that she was paying no real attention to the cat. "Serena, listen up!" Luna said sharply, and Serena turned around with a big silly grin on her face. "Many strange incidents have been happening in Metropolis and the police cannot do anything about them. You are the chosen warrior; you have to beat these enemies. And you have another mission: to find our Princess, with the help of the other Senshi."  
Serena twirled in front of the mirror, before striking a pose towards Luna. "That sounds really neat", she exclaimed, getting into the spirit of the dream.  
Luna tilted her head to one side. "You don't believe me, do you?"  
"I will!" Serena promised, twirling again.  
"Really?" The sarcasm was so thick it could be cut with a knife. "Then say this: 'moon prism power, make up'."  
"Okay", Serena said with a cheeky salute. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"  
There was a flash of pure white light that engulfed Serena, bathing her in a strange glow. Suddenly the dream she was living seemed too real, too terrifying, but she could not make herself wake up. A stream of pure ecstasy washed over Serena as a wave of warmth wrapped itself around her body, then her hands and feet. She turned around, trying better to understand what was happening, but all she sensed was a rainbow ribbon of colour tangling around her and dancing through her soul.   
When it was all over, Serena found herself whispering at the mirror, "No way", as she looked at her changed reflection. "What's this?" She was quite suddenly dressed in a very changed outfit: a bodice of soft white material that seemed a little similar to lycra but was strangely tough like armour, a neatly pressed blue skirt that left little of her legs to the imagination and a matching 'sailor' collar like on her old school uniform, white gloves that stretched to her elbows where they ended with a strip of red ribbon, the same colour as the bows on her front and the small of her back, and the same colour as the choker she could see around her neck in the mirror. Her boots were also a striking red, reaching up to her knees where they were topped with a strip of white decorated by a gold crescent moon that were identical to the one on her choker. A heavy gold tiara rested on her forehead, forming an extended 'V' across her brow. Red gems covered up the buns in her hair, and Serena realised with a shock that she was posing in front of the mirror.   
"I transformed", Serena said in a soft voice, thinking of an appropriate term from her cartoon-watching days. "What is going on here?" She turned to Luna, who seemed to be smiling in a very self-satisfied way. "Tell me, please."  
But before the cat could answer, something changed in the air around Serena, and she could suddenly hear a cry for help as if the person was there in the room with her. "Help", the female voice called, "Superman! Somebody! My mum is-" Her voice cut out as suddenly as it started, but Serena suddenly knew who it was she had heard. This time when she turned to Luna, it was with slightly more urgency.  
"That was Molly's voice. What is going on?"  
Luna nodded to her. "Now do you believe me when I say this isn't a dream?"  
"I really don't understand", Serena murmured, "but Molly sounded as if she is in trouble."  
"Serena, you are Sailor Moon now. You alone have the power to save Molly. Go and help her." 

Molly screamed loudly as the woman who looked so much like her mother tightened her grip around her throat. "Help!" she called out desperately, "please someone help me!" Molly was lifted off the ground by her throat and pain flooded through her, her vision clouded with red so that she could no longer see the many bodies that were littered around her mother's jewellery store. "You're killing me", she gasped, barely conscious, "please stop, mum."  
Her mother smiled evilly, and her face contorted and changed, becoming that of a hideous monster. "I am not your mother, child, I am Morga", she said, her body changing to match her new face. Molly tried to faint and escape but she could not. "Your mother is locked up in the basement. She will join you in death as soon as I am finished here."  
"I don't think so", Superman said, his hands on his hips and looking especially dreadful. Both monster and girl looked up at him, and he sped towards Morga, rescuing Molly and setting her aside gently before tying the monster up with a length of steel from one of the broken display cases. The monster looked at the superhero and smiled, and with a flex of her muscles Morga broke free, taking hold of Superman with one hand and throwing him towards the nearest wall. With a sickening crunch, his head collided with a pillar there and he sunk to the ground, feeling completely stunned.   
Morga turned once more to the girl she had attacked, picking her up again and proceeding with the strangling she had started earlier.  
"Mum", Molly whispered desperately as she drifted towards death.  
"Let go of Molly", a female voice speaking with terrible authority echoed through the almost-silent shop. Morga looked away from her prey for a moment to see the stunning figure of a perfectly formed young woman in the doorway silhouetted against the moonlight outside.   
With a sneer, Morga dropped the redhead in favour of this new and interesting target. "Who are you?" she growled and was surprised to see the shadow appear flustered.   
"Umm, let's see", the silhouette murmured, glancing down at something small just outside the door as if for inspiration.   
'Think like a superhero, think like a superhero', Serena's thoughts chanted like a mantra. She could do this; she could intimidate this creature and save Molly. Surely in a dream so weird she could win a fight or something.   
Inspiration struck as she looked at Luna, and Serena smiled.   
"I am the sailor-suited warrior of love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I will punish you." She paused dramatically at the end, making vaguely threatening gestures towards the demon-thing, which at least was no longer attacking Molly.   
"Sailor Moon?" The creature's voice was like gravel, and worried Serena as she moved towards it, "I've never heard of you. I am Morga, and in the name of me, arise, these slaves who have offered their energy to Our Great Ruler."   
It was right about that moment that Sailor Moon / Serena saw Superman lying awkwardly on the ground behind the monster, and things suddenly became frighteningly more real.  
But her attention was quickly directed towards the bodies that had previously been lying prone on the ground. Now the women who had fought so avidly for jewels earlier were rising up in horrific fashion, their eyes blank and soulless, their movements controlled as they started to move towards Sailor Moon.   
She stepped back, her eyes leaving Morga for a time as she tried to figure out what to do and where to go. Sailor Moon had a very bad feeling about this.   
One of the women leapt towards her and Sailor Moon jumped back, barely dodging the outstretched hands that threatened to rake her body with newly elongated claws. A second took advantage of her distraction, grabbing her and pushing Sailor Moon backwards towards the rear wall of the shop.  
A flash of blue darted past her, grabbing the closest of Sailor Moon's attackers. "Superman", she breathed in relief, but another attacker immediately filled the gap created by his intervention.   
"What are you people doing?" Sailor Moon asked in desperation as she turned and ran along one of the walls in the hopes of getting away from them. Luna followed, saying nothing but looking completely displeased with Sailor Moon's performance as a fighter.   
Morga laughed, as Superman tried to restrain her with his bare hands. Her control over the people who had been her victims was undisturbed, and they cornered Sailor Moon, grinning vindictively. "Help, police!" Sailor Moon called desperately, after struggling to remember the English she was supposed to be crying. "Somebody? Superman? Molly?"  
Remembering her fallen friend, Sailor Moon made her way over to her, leaping somewhat dramatically over some poor woman who had fallen over. Actually, she was a little surprised by how high and well she had jumped, better than would be normally possible. There must be something about the boots, she decided.   
Wondering if there was anything about the gloves, Sailor Moon turned and hit one of the people following her, and was shocked to see the dark-haired man go flying across the room to land unconscious behind a counter somewhere. "Wow", she breathed, before remembering that she had been checking up on Molly. The redhead seemed to be fine, just a little drained. She was sleeping peacefully in an out of the way spot.  
"Alright, Morga", Sailor Moon said, standing up and brushing down her short skirt, "I could almost forgive you for draining the energy of the people in this shop. I could even consider forgiving you for hitting Superman. But for beating up Molly here, I really will punish you."  
"I'm scared", the demon said sarcastically, shaking her head from side to side and by some feat of acrobatics, jumping out of Superman's grip to float above the scene. Once more the possessed people started towards Serena, but this time she was angry.  
Stepping forward, she hit one square in the face, and then kicked another with an agility she didn't know she possessed. But then one of the innocents hit Serena, and she fell down, suddenly landing badly and feeling real pain. A glance down at her knee revealed a deep painful cut, from which blood as red as her boots was falling.  
"I'm bleeding!" She said in shock and horror, sniffling at the painful reality of the dream. Somewhere above her, Superman was again trying to restrain Morga.  
"Come on, Sailor Moon", Luna said from beside her in a low whisper, "You must fight."  
"I can't", she said softly, tears beginning to form in her eyes.  
"Get that youma", Luna commanded, but Sailor Moon was in no mood to hear, caught up in her despair and pain.   
"Why do I have to be the one to go through this?" She called out in a piercing wail, "I want to go home!" She held the last note of her cry, enjoying at least a little the way it seemed to reverberate about the high-ceilinged shop. Suddenly, a little flame within Serena seemed to flare into life, and the clips on her hair seemed to pick up the frequency of her cry, amplifying and transmitting it until the volume seemed to be almost painful to her. Around the room, most of the possessed people seemed to be falling down in agony, and Morga drew her clawed hands up to cover her ears. Somehow, Serena had found a way to cause the monster pain, but she was too distressed to even notice.  
Even Superman was wincing at the subsonic wailing.  
Morga decided that she had had enough. She reached out one clawed hand, trying to ignore the screaming that pulsed through her being. She had to stop this, or she would surely go mad.  
"This'll finish you off", she said with rapture, quite prepared to slice through Serena's neck to put Sailor Moon out of her misery.  
A flash of red sliced between Sailor Moon and the youma, and Morga pulled her hand back with a yelp of pain.  
Both looked up in surprise, trying to see who had taken the offensive now. Up on one of the second-storey windowsills stood a man in a silhouette. He seemed to be dressed in a suit of some sort, with a top hat and cane. He looked much less ridiculous than Superman, and Sailor Moon felt an instant connection to him.  
She looked down at the ground and saw there a single blood-red rose standing upright. Its stem had been sharpened to a point, and it had been this that had struck Morga. A number of thorns looked just as painful to Sailor Moon, and she wondered who this mysterious man was.   
"Who are you?" Morga asked in a tone of some impatience.  
The man leapt towards her, using his cane to strike at the youma. He stood between her and Sailor Moon, looking to protect the sniffling Senshi. She saw now that he was wearing a Tuxedo, and his cape was lined with red. A white mask protected his eyes from view, so she had no chance of recognising him.   
"I am Tuxedo Mask", he said in a deep voice to both Morga and Sailor Moon. "Crying will not resolve your problems, Sailor Moon", he said over his shoulder to her.   
"That's easy for you to say", she muttered angrily, getting to her feet and staring at Luna. "What would you recommend me do?"  
Luna nodded once at Serena's improved attitude. "Take your tiara off", she commanded, "say 'moon tiara action', and throw it."  
"Why do I have to do that?" Sailor Moon asked, wondering what magic such a thing would invoke. Morga grew tired of the delay, leaping towards Tuxedo Mask, parrying his cane with her claws.   
"Just do it!" A note of panic had crept into Luna's voice, and Serena responded instinctively.   
Time seemed to slow down as she touched her tiara, removing it carefully and gently and holding it before her. "Moon Tiara Action!" She cried out, not noticing as the golden adornment changed into a glowing disc of light, and hurled the tiara like a Frisbee at the youma. At the last moment, Sailor Moon realised what was happening, but she had no power to call the tiara back.  
It tore through the youma, rending flesh and simply eliminating all that it touched. The disc of sparkling light grew, until it engulfed the creature's entire body. Morga's flesh turned to dust quite gradually, and this form then crumbled into a pile on the floor, which disappeared as if by magic.   
"No way…" Sailor Moon breathed in stunned confusion, and then she realised exactly what she had done. She had killed Morga.  
'I didn't mean it!' a frantic part of Serena's mind shrieked, 'I didn't mean to kill her! I just thought to imprison her or something.'  
Superman was staring in shocked disbelief at where Morga's remains had fallen. "You destroyed her", he said accusingly to Sailor Moon, echoing her own thoughts eerily.  
Tuxedo Mask smiled at her, seemingly relieved that the battle was over. "Splendid work, Sailor Moon", he said. "I will remember this." He swept out of the store, letting his cape flash in the moonlight. How could he say that what she had done was splendid? She had saved Molly and the others, but she had still killed. The magic was pretty impressive, but her purpose in using it was not.   
"What a man…" Serena murmured thoughtfully, not caring to finish the thought.   
Superman was still staring at her. Sailor Moon realised that she could not stand the accusation in his gaze, and so she ran from the store, ignoring the tears that started to fall and the fact that she knew he could quite easily stop her flight if he so chose. Serena had no way of knowing that Superman had been left standing in the store alone and looking confused, for the girl had seemingly disappeared, she had run so fast from the room. Almost as if she had been running at super-speed. He did not see the black cat, which walked from the room on silent paws. 

"Good job, Usagi", Luna said sometime later, as Serena lay on her bed staring up at the moon in silent meditation on the events of the evening. She ignored the cat, instead reaching into her bag and recovering her diary. Something about the pink fluffy cover on the book suddenly no longer seemed right for Serena, as if a piece of herself had been changed such that the beautiful innocence of her diary did not suit her anymore. But she didn't want to think about such things.   
She opened it up to the nearest blank page and started scribing her thoughts very carefully, feeling the need to share with someone who wasn't the strange talking cat who had turned her life upside down.

_Dear diary,  
Something horrible just happened. It suddenly occurred to me that I shouldn't be writing any real details in this book, in case someone one day decides to use it in evidence against me, but I did something really bad. I know it was bad, my head and my conscience keeps telling me so, but what bothers me is that my heart tells me I did the right thing.   
No one ever told me that doing things for the greater good, in the name of love and justice, could cause such torment. I thought I was doing the right thing, that's what confuses me so much, and he seemed to agree with me. But my head tells me that I was wrong, and I don't know what path to choose.   
Did I become a monster tonight, no better than the one I fought?_


	3. Chapter Three

Author's Notes: Sorry again for the delay. I might write more if more people bug me about it...  
And I had meant for Lex Luthor to appear in this chapter, but I kinda got distracted and sent a youma instead. Ooh, now there's an idea, what if Lex and the Dark Kingdom were working together? That'd be cool. Anyway, I'll get around to answering my mail soon.  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailormoon_Superman_Crossovers, for notification of updates, but also discussion if people so desire it.  
Catherine. 

**Fly Me To The Moon**

Chapter Three

_Last night's events have yet to be sufficiently explained by anyone. Even Superman was at a loss to describe what had transpired, other than to state that he was disgusted at the actions of the girl who called herself 'Sailor Moon'. He said quite vehemently that, "there are many ways to bring a criminal to justice. Violence is never the right path."   
Aside from her outlandish clothing, Sailor Moon seemed from all descriptions to be almost shy and hesitant, her manner at odds with her actions. And indeed, we have yet to find out anything about her real motives, other than she claimed she was a warrior for love and justice, yet seemed little more than a vigilante…_

"I thought it was just a dream", Molly said, reading over Serena's shoulder at the newspaper spread across the desk. Remembering that she was not supposed to know anything about what had transpired the night before, Serena forced herself to look up curiously.   
"You were there?" she asked softly.   
"Sure", Molly grinned in anticipation of her storytelling, "It's my Mum's jewellery store. This shape-changing thing had taken Mum's place all day, and I didn't even know." Molly dumped her bag unceremoniously on the floor and sat beside Serena, looking up to make sure that the teacher hadn't arrived yet.   
"So, that's why your mum was acting so weird. I thought someone had put some bad milk in her coffee yesterday morning." Serena smiled again, this time more genuinely.   
"Yeah, and if Sailor Moon hadn't come along when she did, I feel sure we would have all died."   
Serena pointed to the paper before her. "Superman was there. He could have saved the day."   
"He wasn't going to though", Molly's eyes were wide and full of some emotion Serena couldn't recognise. Could it have been fear? Molly continued talking quickly, gaining momentum as she progressed. "He was just standing there in midair, thinking about things and trying to hold the monster back. But you know what? Superman couldn't stop the monster from draining our energy and I don't think the Morga-thing would have stopped until we were all dead, including Superman."   
"You really think it could have kill Superman?" The thought had never occurred to Serena, "He's invulnerable, isn't he?"   
"I dunno", Molly shrugged, then leaned over to read the rest of the newspaper article.   
Serena was herself more than a little confused. How had Clark found out about the attack at the jewellery store? The police were only considering arriving as she left the scene in something resembling a hurry. Superman must have gone straight to Clark's house after the attack for the story to have made it to this morning's front page. But why? And why would Superman say such horrible things about her? If Molly was correct, Sailor Moon had saved his life last night.   
But, Serena found herself thinking as Miss Haruna walked into the classroom and started taking the roll, it's not like I don't feel the same way. Destroying the youma was wrong, there had to have been a peaceful solution to the situation. 

Later, as she started the walk from school to the Daily Planet, Luna dropped from a fence onto Serena's shoulder. The girl yelped and instinctively went to throw the cat off, but was stopped by a quickly-voiced apology.   
"Oh, it's you", Serena said in a flat voice, not caring if anyone walking down the street heard her talking to her cat. Her eyes stared at her shoes and she shuffled along, not paying much attention to her path.   
"Yes, it's me", Luna said with a patient smile. "I've been watching you all day, Usagi, and I want to know what's wrong."   
"Does something have to be wrong?"   
"I saw you reading the paper, Usagi. You shouldn't let what the reporter said get to you. He wasn't there, he doesn't know a thing about our enemies."   
Serena stopped walking, and looked up, eyes shining with tears. "I don't know anything about our enemies either, Luna, and yet I still killed one of them. That's against the rules no matter which society you come from, be it earth or moon-based."   
"Usagi, you have to listen to me. If you hadn't stopped that monster, it would not have stopped until each and every living thing on this planet was dead. And death is the only way to stop them."   
"How do you know? Maybe we could have captured it and had it taken to prison or something. Violence is never a solution." Serena was glaring at the cat, tears falling past her control.   
"I've fought them before, a long time ago. They killed everyone I had ever cared for." Luna jumped from Serena's shoulder, and stalked off, her tail twitching and anger radiating through her body.   
"I didn't know", Serena whispered, suddenly afraid as well as confused and lost. Luna disappeared into the crowd and Serena was jostled rather painfully by those passing her and knocked to the ground. Her nose cracked almost painfully against someone's shoe.   
"Oi, Odango Atama", a male voice sneered, and Serena looked up in utmost horror.   
"My name is Serena", she said as she got back to her feet and picked up her bag, "can't any of you get that right?" Defiantly, she wiped some of the tears from her face, tossed her hair over her shoulder and stomped off in the general direction of the Daily Planet building.   
The young man looked at her curiously as she walked away, wondering at the sense of déjà vu that passed over him at the unusual meeting. A part of him wanted desperately to run after the girl and comfort her, holding her until she stopped crying, but another, frightened part told him that he didn't want to be late to class. Pushing away the thought that he was frightened, Chiba "Darien" Mamoru continued walking towards the university, hoping that the strange girl would be alright.   
  
Thankfully, her work at the Planet was uneventful. Although Jimmy would not stop talking and theorising about Clark's story of the cute Sailor girl, after a while Serena was completely able to tune his words out and concentrate on her own duties. Photocopying and filing: not what she thought she would end up doing when she got her chance to work at the Daily Planet, but at the same time somehow fulfilling. So long as she kept in mind that what she was doing was indeed helpful to someone, Serena could use the monotony to keep her mind off her troubles. Which was really all she wanted.   
And it wasn't until she was retrieving her backpack from Jimmy's cupboard at the end of the day that Clark came over to speak with her. "What's wrong, Serena? You've a face like a wet week."   
How could she possibly respond to that? How could he be so happy and cheerful, when her whole word had been turned upside down and a lot of it was his fault?   
"Why did you write those horrible things about Sailor Moon?" The words were small and soft, involuntary. A moment after, Serena could not believe that she had spoken. What power did this man have over her that he could get her to lower her defences around him so completely?   
Clark's eyes had widened as he tried to comprehend what Serena had asked. "Well, I wrote a story, based on what Superman told me about her. Do you know something that would suggest that I was wrong?"   
"The jewellery store belongs to my friend Molly's mum. Molly said that Sailor Moon saved them; that Superman wasn't able to fight the monster." Defiantly, she met his gaze, as if daring him to contradict her.   
"Maybe Superman didn't want to fight the monster. Maybe he hoped to bring it to a peaceful resolution." Clark's tone was even, but his eyes were wary.   
"Maybe Sailor Moon didn't think she had a choice. It's entirely possible that she thought that killing the monster was the only way to stop it from killing Molly and the others." Serena found her voice rising despite herself and tried to get control of her emotions.   
"There is always another choice to violence." Clark too was becoming agitated, such that Serena found herself stepping up to him, raising a finger angrily.   
"There was no other choice. If Superman had hesitated any longer, Molly would have died. Sailor Moon too."   
"You don't know that. She might be invulnerable like Superman."   
"Molly said Sailor Moon was bleeding when she left. That doesn't sound invulnerable to me. If you ask me, Sailor Moon sounds like a nice normal girl who was made to fight a battle that went against her very nature. Molly said that Superman drove her off in tears, that doesn't sound like a hardened criminal to me."   
Clark took a deep breath and was about to reply to Serena's almost-screamed response when a shout from Mr White's office had them both jumping in shock.   
"Kent! Tsukino!" He mispronounced Serena's last name slightly, but she wisely chose to ignore it. "In here now!"   
Serena walked demurely into the Chief's office, head lowered and face red with embarrassment. "I apologise for my behaviour, Clark-san", she said before the Chief could get a word in.   
"What the Sam Hill was going on out there?" The Chief glared at his reporter and the office junior balefully.   
"I disagreed with Clark's opinion on Sailor Moon. I do not believe that she is a bad person and so I started arguing with Clark. I apologise for getting carried away and understand if you decide to punish me for my behaviour."   
Clark immediately leapt to Serena's defence, saying something about it being his fault and that he was entirely too excitable, which that Serena suspected was a lie but wasn't about to call him on. Through it all the Chief just sat there, watching, listening.   
Finally though, their babbling drew to a halt, and he took a deep breath as if to start screaming at his two employees. But when he spoke, his tone was calm and his accent softened a lot to the point where Serena didn't have to concentrate so much to understand him.   
"Clark, I know you've been under a lot of stress lately, but that's no reason to go picking on Serena. And Serena, if you don't agree with Clark's opinions on something, you have a nice option available to you that doesn't involve screaming at him."   
"Yes sir", she said with a sigh, "I am very sorry to have interrupted your routine so much."   
"I wasn't talking about quitting, girl, use your head", the older man shook his head almost in disgust as Serena's head snapped up in shock. "I simply meant that you could always write a story expressing your opinion on the matter."   
Serena's eyes opened wide with shock, suddenly realising that this was a really good idea. She could write something for the school paper, and maybe, just maybe, she could change the minds of the kids at school. If they started thinking Sailor Moon was not a bad person, then the opinion could spread, and then maybe if enough people believed in her, she could convince herself that she wasn't a bad person.   
She looked up a few moments later to see both men grinning at her for she had been lost in thought. "Thank you, sir", she said with a quick bow, "I'll keep my promise and send you a copy. Thank you, Clark."   
Flashing her biggest smile at the two of them, Serena practically skipped from the office, slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading for home with a slightly lightened heart. She didn't notice the briefly distracted look that flashed across Clark's face as he said his farewells to his boss and left via the fire escape. 

Luna was waiting for her outside the Planet building.   
"There's a youma attacking couples in the park", the cat said discretely as they made their way through the peak hour crowds. Serena felt a sinking of her heart and inwardly a part of her thought that she might start crying.   
Resolutely, feigning a confidence she did not feel, Serena turned towards Centennial Park. One foot after another, she walked quickly towards her destiny, knowing that to run would attract too much attention.   
Thinking it all over, Serena realised that she had no choice in the matter, no matter what Clark had said. Maybe she was a criminal, maybe she was a monster, but she would fight, and she would win. That was the promise she made to herself, she would always protect those people who needed her, those who could not defend themselves.   
She would never know what prompted Luna to speak, but the words cheered her immensely.   
"The way of the Senshi is never easy or painless, but I believe you can do it, Usagi-chan." 

"Moon Prism Power, Make-Up!"   
The words tore from her throat as if themselves drawn by magic, and the strange music that Serena felt could have been the melody of her love for the world emersed her in a world of light and power as the transformation magic turned her into a more powerful being, one who could be heartless towards her enemies for the sake of her friends and the sake of the world. She could be like Sailor V.   
Dashing out from the alley in which she had transformed, Sailor Moon started running the last few hundred metres to the park. But halfway there, she crashed into a tall man who hadn't thought to get out of her way like everyone else on the street was doing. For a brief moment she found that she nose was pressed rather firmly into a green jacket that smelled like a mix of roses and a masculine fragrance that was rather nice, to tell the truth.   
"Odango?" The word was soft, but caused Sailor Moon to look up in fright at the thought that someone, even someone as annoying as this jerk, could have recognised her. But his eyes were unfocussed and a grimace of pain marred his otherwise handsome face.   
"I'm sorry", she said, "you must have mistaken me for someone else. I'm Sailor Moon."   
"Sorry", he slurred, still not really looking at her. Suddenly, he fell to the ground in a faint. Sailor Moon looked around in a panic.   
"What do I do, Luna?"   
The cat was also looking around with wild eyes. "Pick him up and bring him over here", she said shortly, moving towards a bus stop a few metres away. Sailor Moon was only a little surprised to find that she could easily carry the probably heavy man, though she knew she wasn't strong enough even in this form to do it for very long. After positioning the jerk on the bench, she sighed.   
"We don't have time to see that he's alright, do we?" Luna shook her head in response. "Very well, we'll come back to check up on him once we're done." Sailor Moon took off at a run, the black cat at her red-booted heels.   
Neither of them looked back, so neither saw the flash of rose-coloured light that engulfed their patient before he disappeared from view. 

Perhaps not surprisingly, Superman was already on the scene when Sailor Moon arrived, but she was forced to stop and stare in amazement when she saw that there were three reporters on the scene, one taking photos and the other two notes as the scene unfolded, not one of them offering to help in any way. Perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised, but a part of Sailor Moon was glad that she didn't recognise any of them as being from the Daily Planet.   
And then she realised that the Planet was indeed represented, as Lois Lane dared to use capsicum spray on the youma's eyes. Superman was there with her, him holding on to at least four tentacles. Why is it that monsters always have to have those creepy things? Sailor Moon wondered, as she decided that she had better interfere.   
"Luna", she ordered decisively, her eyes never leaving the sight of the reporter and the superhero attempting to hold off the youma by themselves, "see what you can do about getting the couples to safety." For indeed, around the youma, no less than six pairs of young romantics were unconscious or near to it, having been the youma's first few victims. "I know most of them are in no state to move, but if we get them away from the youma it won't be able to use them as hostages. I'll deal with the monster." With a nod, the cat disappeared, blending into the shadows created by the setting sun.   
Sailor Moon positioned herself so that she would be able to get a clear shot of the creature without endangering those so close to it. But they were all moving too quickly, Miss Lane lashing out with vicious karate moves, and Superman and the youma struggling at almost super-speed. She had to stop them somehow. There was nothing for it but to raise her voice and make a dramatic entrance.   
"Those who interfere with young couples falling in love do not deserve the pleasure of knowing romance", she said in her best schoolteacher voice, wondering where the garbage she was sprouting came from. "For breaking those hearts that have just found love, I, Sailor Moon, will punish you in the name of the moon!" With a leap, she threw herself at the youma, calling out, "Sailor Moon kick!" as she did so.   
The high heels of her boots landed on the youma's face, and it fell to the ground with her standing on top of it, a tremendous feat for the normally-klutzy Sailor Moon. Miss Lane had jumped back from her furious attack, and Superman had let go of the tentacles he had been holding. The youma rolled to one side, so that Sailor Moon fell, but gloved hands reached out to stop her fall and she was able to push herself back up without losing a beat. This was her battle and the others seemed to realise this backing up.   
"For taking away my normal life, for replacing my innocent hopes and dreams with fears and responsibility, I will defeat you and every enemy sent at me. You will not have this world while I live." The words were barely whispered as punches were exchanged on both sides, Sailor Moon being hit almost as much as she hit the youma, but Superman was able to hear, and he paused for a moment, trying to assimilate this new information.   
However, Sailor Moon had forgotten about the youma's tentacles while concentrating on its arms and legs. Long green vines reached up and wrapped around her, one pinning her arms to her waist as another tightened around her neck. A strangled gasp was the only sound the young superhero was able to make as she felt her life being drained away along with her oxygen.   
Superman moved forward, but someone else was quicker. A flash of red darted between Sailor Moon and the monster, and with a cry it withdrew two tentacles that had been neatly sliced in half. On the ground rested two red roses, the stems sharpened to a fine blade and the petals still looking as fresh as if they had just been picked. "Tuxedo Mask?" Sailor Moon gasped, looking in the direction she thought the rose must have come from.   
"In the name of love, I will not let you perpetrate this crime", he said from the tree to the screaming youma, which probably did not hear him. "Sailor Moon, you are fighting well. I am here to fight with you. Use your tiara now to free us from its presence."   
She nodded, reaching up towards her tiara.   
"Stop." Superman stepped between her and the youma.   
Sailor Moon closed her eyes, readying herself to argue with him, but Tuxedo Mask looked up at Superman and spoke softly, yet forcefully. "The youma are not of this world. They are the forefront of an invasion force that will destroy the earth if they are not destroyed. This is our destiny, to protect the world from those who would do evil to it. If you do not wish yourself and all you love to be enslaved to these beasts, stand aside."   
Sailor Moon was shocked. This was the goal of their enemy? To enslave all living things and feed off their energy until the earth was dead and lifeless? It was no wonder that she was called to fight them so urgently.   
"Will you explain later?" Superman asked, one hand almost unconsciously reaching out to hold Lois Lane's. She didn't seem to notice either, her eyes fixed on Tuxedo Mask's face. He nodded. Closing his eyes as he made a decision, Superman stepped to one side, letting go of Lois' hand and fixing his eyes on the youma so that he would watch and accept his part in its fate.   
Sailor Moon reached a hand up to her tiara, feeling the song of its magic thrill her. "Moon Tiara, Action!" she screamed, throwing it at the youma and watching as the monster crumbled to dust upon impact. After the burst of light had died down, Superman and Miss Lane turned to Tuxedo Mask expectantly, but he only shook his head.   
"Now is not the time for explanations. They must come later, for much still needs to be accomplished. Farewell." He turned and started to walk away, as Lois started tending to the injured and Superman debated following the hero and questioning him further. It was Sailor Moon who chased after him, catching his arm and making him turn to her.   
"Please", she said a little breathlessly. "At least tell me who you are."   
"I cannot tell you that yet", the hero's voice was slightly sad and Sailor Moon held tighter to the hand that she had.   
"Then tell me why I have to fight."   
There was a long pause, as Tuxedo Mask thought about this. During that time, Luna came over and stood next to Serena, rubbing her tail against the girl's leg encouragingly.   
"Because you are the only one strong enough." With that, he turned again, leaping away from her and disappearing over the trees. Sailor Moon had no idea how he managed such a trick, she was too busy feeling sad that he was gone. She looked down, and saw by her feet a single red rose. 

"Sailor Moon", she turned at the sound of her name, shaking her head slightly to break herself out of her reverie. Superman was walking towards her at a slow pace, as if worried that she would run again.   
"Yes?"   
"You're bleeding", he said, holding out a piece of his torn cape in one hand, "do you mind if I bandage it?"   
"No", she made herself smile, though once she winced with pain as he wrapped the strip of red fabric around her arm. She hadn't even noticed the wound until he mentioned it, but now it was throbbing dully, a grim reminder of what the price of failure in her mission was.   
"Sailor Moon?"   
Suddenly she became aware of where she was once more, having drifted off again, twirling the rose in her fingers.   
"I'm sorry; I didn't understand." The words were barely audible, but she heard them nonetheless and leapt at the superhero, wrapping her arms around him. "I can't help you destroy those creatures", he said finally, "but I won't stop you either."   
Knowing that this was probably more of a compromise of Superman's morals than she could have ever hoped for, Sailor Moon smiled and stepped away, disappearing into the shadows like a golden flash of moonlight. 

By the time they'd returned to the bus stop that had been on the way to the battle, the jerk was gone. Sailor Moon felt a brief flash of irritation at him. How dare he just disappear like that when she was trying to do a good deed! It just wasn't fair!   
"I guess he must have recovered", she said, not sounding altogether convinced.   
"I guess so", Luna agreed reluctantly.   
"I hope he made it home okay."   
"Me too."   
They stood for a moment, each worried and not sure what to say. Then Luna, having decided that perhaps everything was indeed alright, smiled and leapt onto Sailor Moon's shoulder, nuzzling her face.   
"I think it's time we went home too", the cat said, "you mum will have dinner ready and everything." Seeing the sudden grin on Sailor Moon's face made the cat feel better about everything that had transpired.   
"And Serena, you did really well tonight."   
"I'm not a bad person after all", Serena said, more to herself than anyone else, "I may be the only one who can fight this battle, but I will make them sorry for picking a fight with me."   
And the moon seemed to brighten in response to that promise. 

"Molly? This is Serena… I was wondering if you'd like to be interviewed for the school paper…" 

_Dear diary,   
I think I've figured it all out.   
Problems should be solved by those who see them; that is something I read in a book a while ago, and that is something I have now come to believe. I apologise for what I wrote last night, it seems juvenile and tedious looking back on it. Since then, I have come to terms with my actions and made some decisions.   
Sometimes we have to do things we don't like to protect those we love. That is my sacred duty, it is my promise and my destiny, and I will do whatever it takes to protect the people of this world.   
I am Sailor Moon, the champion of love and justice, and I will stop the invaders from destroying my world, no matter what the cost. I will find Luna's princess and save everyone, because it must be done and I am the only one to do it.   
This I swear.   
All drama aside, I wonder what Tuxedo Mask looks like without the mask… _


	4. Segue…

Author's Notes: Good lord peoples, I'm sorry I haven't had time to reply to all your replies to my fics. I've just been swamped at uni. Anyway, a friend told me today that he really enjoyed reading my fics, and suddenly I realised that people weren't just 'saying' they they liked them, they really did. So this next bit and the next chapter are dedicated to anyone who sent me a comment for anything at all, because suddenly realising that you do care and enjoy reading my little scibbles makes it all worthwhile. *group hugs*  
Now, all warm and fuzzy feelings aside, this here is a joining piece, inserted between Chapters 3 and 4, to help provide a little bit of character insight, and also to make the change between settings a little smoother. I hate to admit that the idea behind my seguing isn't mine, it originaly came from Isobelle Carmody's Legendsong, but I've mutated the idea for my own purposes here.

**Fly Me To The Moon**

Segue...

"Finally, do you believe what Sailor Moon did was the right thing?"   
"Yes."   
  
Thus ended my conversation with Molly, the daughter of Lana Osaku who runs the Osa*P jewellery store. She had not only been a witness to the monster's attack, she had been one of the victims, and as we talked she described in horrific detail the feeling of her vital energy being sapped from her body, of being choked and held as a hostage, of knowing that unless someone acted she would die.   
Being faced with death has changed Molly, she admits that without rancour or regret, but some things have become more clear to her. She believes in her soul that it was only the actions of the strange sailor-suited girl that prevented her from dying that night, and was not afraid to say, quite candidly, that Superman had in truth done nothing to save her other than distract the monster for a time.   
This seems foreign to me, who had come to believe that Superman would always help those in danger. But the more I thought about it, the more I came to realise – Superman would always do all he could to help those in danger. What happens though, when Superman is faced with something he cannot stop? A speeding bullet is one thing, an "energy-sucking demon from another dimension another". Could it really be true that the man of steel was indeed powerless against such a thing?   
And if so, what does this say about Sailor Moon, a schoolgirl, fighting for justice alone, without even Superman's help? Is she brave or foolish? A champion of justice or the only one willing to fight? A vigilante or hero?   
Superman's indecision was one of the common threads of the few reports that were gathered afterwards. As was his condescension at Sailor Moon's actions. But what the media in general seems to be failing to report is that Molly, and those who were conscious at the second battle scene, all believe that without Sailor Moon's intervention they would have died.   
Sailor Moon's powers seem too fantastical to believe, and her motives are obscured by mystery. I personally believe that she is on our side, that in the future she will continue to fight beside Superman against all that is wrong in our world.   
I could be wrong; Sailor Moon could indeed just be a renegade gang member out to strike a few blows against evil in the most unlawful ways possible, wanting to destroy human monsters as easily as the two demons she has already faced. But, maybe for the moment we should give her the benefit of our doubt.   
She is, after all, innocent until proven guilty.   
  
_"Drawing Conclusions About A Hero" _  
An editorial piece following a series of interviews  
by Serena Tsukino  
Appeared in _"Branching Paths"_, the Crossroads High School Newspaper.


	5. Chapter Four

Author's notes: Well, spurred by an insane amount of feedback (I love you guys), here is the next chapter. You'll have to forgive the disjointedness and any glaring errors, I'm currently sitting final exams and I've never actually read the Sailor V manga, just the image-bare transcripts. What this means for you is that you're stuck with me experimenting with the Sailor V continuity in this chapter, but hopefully with a little time once my exams are over we'll get back to Serena's story soon.

Fly Me To The Moon  
by Sailor Coruscant

**Chapter Four**

_A handsome man stood alone, watching the sun set. He is a soldier of justice, veiled in mystery. For a long time he stands there, his back to her, the gentlest of breezes making his hair ruffle slightly. One is completely aware of how lonely he is, and though she could go to him she too stands still, fighting silently what she feels for him, denying the truth of her emotions.   
He steps away from her, knowing that what he offered has once again been rejected, and starts to walk down the beach in solitude. She starts to run after him but he is gone, a single card standing straight in the sand.   
It is the Ace of Hearts…_  
  
Aino Minako sighed a little as the final credits for the show began to roll. This had been the coolest episode of 'Kaitou Ace' yet, and as it progressed she found herself falling more and more in love with the main character. Of course, all the other girls at school were also falling in love with him, but Minako knew something they didn't know. Kaitou Ace was going to be the love interest in this summer's biggest blockbuster movie release: 'Sailor V: Goddess in Love", so if anyone was going to get a chance to spend some quality time with the idol, it was going to be her.   
After all, they didn't call her the goddess of love for nothing!   
Beside her on the floor, Artemis sighed. The white cat always disapproved when she used her secret identity for anything other than fighting the enemy, but the movie deal was too good to pass up. And it wasn't like she hadn't turned down the roll of Sailor V's voice actress for the anime.   
She'd been keeping a relatively low profile too, since the disaster in England, where she'd faked her own death. Sailor V still made the occasional appearance to destroy the monsters of the Dark Agency, but for the most part now she left crime fighting to the police. There was less chance of word getting back to Katarina and Alan that way.   
The thought of Alan made Minako sigh sadly. She'd had a major crush on Alan ever since she'd first met him, on that fateful day, and done all she could to capture his heart since. Then she'd introduced him to her Katarina-onee-san. Minako had been completely blind to the true affection that had grown between Alan and Katarina until it was too late, and so to spare herself more pain, once she had destroyed the Dark Agency base in London Minako faked her own death and headed back to Japan.   
And it was indeed great to be back at her old school again. Sure, she didn't have much time to spend with the girls outside of classes and lunch breaks, but Hikaru had proven herself to still be Minako's best friend, and she didn't miss the volleyball team that much. Even if she did, her destiny was written in the stars: she was Sailor V, who had to defeat the Dark Agency and until that day she would just have to put her social life on hold.   
That was the way of the Senshi of love and justice.   
  
Her long blonde hair fluttered in the wind as Minako walked down the street, Artemis perched on her shoulder, whispering delicately so as to avoid attracting the attention of anyone else. A golden crescent moon shone on the snow white cat's forehead, and his eyes held an intensity of ancient pain that would have made Minako cry, had she noticed.   
Fortunately, she was blissfully ignorant of Artemis' old sorrows, focussing on the here and now as she had been taught. She had to train herself to react without thinking of the consequences, to move without effort and to hold a conversation while walking and balancing a book on her head. It wasn't easy, but at least that wasn't today's activity.   
Today they were simply headed for the video arcade, where Minako would play her usual one turn at the Sailor V game (she still had the highest score after all this time) and then disappear without saying goodbye to Motoki-onii-san, who was Minako's first love.   
What no one in the arcade ever sees is Artemis pushing a secret button on the Sailor V game that opens the trap door beneath it, while projecting a complete hologram of Minako and him leaving the arcade. Down beneath the Crown Game Centre is Sailor V's secret base of operations, a hidden basement room with computers lining the walls and a large monitor adorning the centre or the room.   
Minako sat before the monitor, not bothering to use a keyboard or any other device to input her new data. From within her backpack she withdraws a single CD, which is placed in an isolated computer that serves as a testing spot for all potential Dark Agency traps. Soft music starts playing and Minako scrunches up her ears in disgust.   
"Boss, is this what I think it is?" The words are not directed at anyone in particular, Minako is simply speaking to the room. She had given up long ago on trying to find out who her "Boss" really was, to her he was simply a disembodied voice that was transmitted through these computers and her magic pen.   
The deep voice answered her after a moment in which analysis was carried out on the disk. The music stopped abruptly, causing Minako to snap out of the light trance she had been slipping into. It would seem that her first instinct had been correct.   
"Yes, Mina. The Dark Agency is behind this new group of idols. You will have to investigate and fight them if necessary."   
"Right Boss!" She made her trademark 'V for Victory' sign at him. "You can count on me. The Dark Guys group is history!" She stood to move towards the door, but Artemis called her name and she turned back.   
"Mina, we've found one of your allies."   
She turned back to the monitor, stunned, as a picture of another girl in a sailor fuku not dissimilar to her own was displayed. Her hair was long and blonde like Minako's own, but it was tied up in a strange twin-bun manner that seemed so very familiar to Minako. Somehow she had the feeling that she'd known this girl before.   
"This is Sailor Moon", Artemis went on, "my partner, Luna, found her in Metropolis, where the Dark Agency has also been attacking. I'd lost touch with Luna for a long time, so I was very surprised when I received her message this morning. She'd only just been able to arrange for a command centre over there to be built, and as yet her Senshi has only fought two battles, but from what we've seen, Sailor Moon is facing a much tougher battle there than you have yet encountered."   
"Does this mean we have to move to America?" Minako would have been glad for some company in battle, but the thought of moving again so soon caused a great pain in her heart. She had only just gotten settled back here in Tokyo, she couldn't stand the thought of having to relocate once more.   
"No", the Boss said, causing a few more images of Sailor Moon in action to display in succession on the monitor. "The information we've received from Luna suggests that the search for our princess will be centred mostly in Metropolis, for an unusual conjunction of forces is building up there. You have been asked to remain here in Tokyo for a time, to continue with our current plan of foiling the Dark Agency's plots."   
"As you can see", Artemis went on as many photos of Sailor Moon tripping and falling and generally not fighting at all were shown to Minako, "Sailor Moon is not much of a warrior yet, though Luna is gradually training her up. So, it's up to us to distract the Dark Agency and convince them that we are more of a threat to their plans than Sailor Moon, until such time as she is able to fight effectively against them. Do you feel up to it, Minako?"   
Staring at the computer monitor, Minako couldn't help but feel a great sympathy for the poor girl who had been roped into being a Senshi. Sailor Moon was inexperienced, without the benefit of three years of fighting and studying the Dark Agency's methods. She would obviously need all the help she could get, not only in battle but also for the war that was coming. There was something else that was bothering Minako about this though.   
"Metropolis", she murmured thoughtfully, "Isn't that where Superman is based?" Though Minako had never met the flying superhero, she was a big fan of his, and hoped secretly that one day they would get a chance to spend some time together discussing their methods and the mythology behind the personas they had adopted.   
"Yes", Artemis said, "and it seems that he is having trouble adjusting to their being a new hero in his territory. He has publicly slandered Sailor Moon in the media, causing Luna a lot of worry about the girl's image." At this, the screen changed to a newspaper article, in English, but Minako was fluent in the language and she frowned as she read some of the judgements the reporter had made, which seemed unjustified to her.   
"However", Artemis went on, "it is our belief here that the rift between the two will actually be a benefit to us, and we hope that the enemy will not go out of their way to target Superman until after they have dealt with the Senshi."   
"We're protecting him then? Even after what he's done?" Minako suddenly realised how quickly she had come to think of this Sailor Moon as a member of her little team. Even though they'd never met, Sailor Moon and Sailor V shared a bond of destiny and duty, something that most other people on the planet would never experience. In a peculiar way, that made them sisters.   
"Minako", the Boss' voice gave the impression of him rolling his eyes at her, and she grinned in response, knowing that he knew she didn't really mean what she had said. Superman needed the protection of the Senshi just as much as anyone else, for he was surely vulnerable to their energy-sucking attacks the same as everyone else.   
"Anyway", Minako stood, "We can talk about Sailor Moon later. I have to take care of the Dark Guys band now. You wanna tag along, Artemis?"   
  
As they ran the streets of Tokyo, Minako was slightly surprised to hear the Boss beeping her on the magic transform pen.   
"Minako", he said, "I've done some checking on these Dark Guys. It turns out there are a bunch of other idols being promoted by the same company that all have 'Dark' names. There's the 'Dark Princess', the 'Lonely Dark', 'Another Dark Group' and 'Twin Dark'. You'd better check them all out."   
"You got it Boss."   
Tightening her grip on the pen, Minako continued to run towards her destiny.   
  
"How much?" She asked the man at the gate incredulously, and again he told her the fee for entry to the Dream Idol Fair. Looking more angry than Artemis had ever seen her, Minako stomped around the edge of the building until she found herself in a deserted spot. "Ten thousand yen for a day's entry?" she ranted, "That's more than any normal teenager with healthy spending habits could afford!"   
Artemis wisely chose not to say anything about Minako's supposedly 'healthy' spending habits. Instead he just nodded and smiled as she brought out her henshin pen.   
"Crescent Moon Power Transform!" Minako screamed, and she was engulfed in a bright light. Taking advantage of her anger and desire for revenge against the gate guard, she thought of what to dress up as. "Change me into an army foot soldier!" A flash of dazzling purity scoured through Minako, and when the flashing lights faded she was standing in a camouflage suit. Chunky black boots assured her continued stability, while an effective black ribbon had been folded across her forehead to prevent her now-short hair from interfering with her mission. Completing the ensemble was a standard-issue military rifle, which Minako had no doubts was fully loaded and ready for action. Normally Minako abhorred guns, but this was the Dark Agency she was dealing with, not some petty criminal. It was entirely possible that the gun would come in handy, though she truly hoped not.   
Sighting a back entrance to the Dream Idol Fair, Minako jumped the tall fence with ease, noting once again how even in a simple disguised state she still had stronger abilities than the average human. The guard on the backdoor was human, though her compact showed him to be brainwashed by the enemy, so Minako quite delicately knocked him unconscious with a boot to the head before giving Artemis the all-clear.   
The cat followed warily, not trusting Minako's haste in this mission. There was something clearly bothering her, he hadn't seen Minako acting this ditzy in years. Normally she showed a semblance of caution in her actions, but today she was going all-out, hoping for the kill and looking like she would revel in it.   
Minako wandered the corridors of the Fair's building, avoiding conflict wherever possible, eliminating threats as they approached. Although she had found several of their minor minions, none of the Dark Agency's officers had yet to discover her presence in this building. Passing by an empty recording studio, Minako couldn't help but wonder if she was walking into a trap. There was something very wrong about this mission, but that might just be the Dark Agency's own miasma of darkness clouding her thoughts.   
Finally, she climbed some stairs, turned a corner and found herself standing outside the stage door for one of the television studios. From where she stood, gripping her rifle tightly, Minako could hear that a concert of some sort was taking place inside. This must be where the various Dark Idols were performing. Artemis murmured something to her about never being too careful, but Minako was on a roll now. She couldn't lose.   
Banging the door open with no hint of subtly crossing her mind, Minako stormed onto the black stage dramatically, but no one seemed to notice her over the crooning of the Dark Guys on stage. There were five of them, all dressed alike, dancing in a manner that served to send the teenybopper girls in the audience wild as they all swayed in time. Their trendy clothes and hairstyles simply made it harder for anyone to distinguish between the Dark Guys and any other boy band in existence. They sang of love, which no Dark Agency officer ever seemed to truly know about, and about the importance of submitting one's will to that of the person you were in love with. There was also another theme to the music, but Minako could not hear it in the heat of the moment.   
Artemis tried desperately to make himself heard over the ruckus, to make sure Minako understood the implications of the spell the Dark Guys were casting over their audience and to point out somewhat irreverently that it was her they were singing about as the boy band informed everyone that if they wanted to be beautiful idols, they would have to kill Sailor V. This crowd were currently complete slaves to the Dark Agency and would do anything commanded of them. If Minako wasn't careful, she would have to fight a mob on her way to destroying the officers in charge of this company.   
The song finished and the enemy soldiers started bowing to the wild chants of the crowd before them. Through a gap in the curtains Minako could see the television cameras that were capturing every moment of this performance, every nuance of the magic that was being woven here this day. She felt a strong desire to join the idols on stage and start singing herself, to prove to them all that she was a more popular person than anyone in the Dark Agency.   
A stabbing pain in her ankle caused Minako to snap out of the trance she had been falling into with a shocked cry. She looked down to see bright red blood welling out of her right ankle, and Artemis staring at her with burning anger in his eyes. She looked out at the stage again for a long moment, before sighing at the cat accompanying her.   
"Put your claws away, Artemis. I'm not going to fall under their spell again. I'm not sure I'm going to walk again either, but that's not the point. A slight sound alerted her to someone approaching from behind and Minako whirled, her compact in one hand as the idols she could only assume were Twin Dark turned a corner to come face to face with a gun-wielding Senshi of Love and Justice.   
Glancing down at the mirror she held in one hand, Minako beheld two beautiful monsters behind the disguises of young female artists, and she shook her head somewhat sadly as they saw her and prepared to change forms. "I could have worshipped the ground you walk on if only you weren't evil", she said, "I'm a big fan of all idols."   
For a moment they stood there dumbly, staring at her in shock and amazement, neither thinking to call for help or unleash their terrible powers. Moving with the grace only a Senshi could possess, Minako fired twice, turning her head aside so that she did not have to see as the dust that had been Twin Dark fell to the ground and disappeared. All the soldiers of the Dark Agency died like that; they just crumbled to dust that never really seemed to settle.   
Onstage, the Dark Guys bowed to the crowd, basking in their adulation. Minako positioned herself in the shadows, knowing that her time in spotlight had at last arrived. "Thank you", the Dark Guys cried as one, bowing one last time. "And now for our sisters, Twin Dark!" Smiling, all five young men gestured to the back of the stage, where a single light started to shine on the tall young woman with cropped short blonde hair in army fatigues standing at the top of a short flight of stairs.   
Immediately, murmurs arose amongst the crowd, as the Dark Guys looked on in shock.   
"You're not Twin Dark!"   
"Who are you?"   
"You're cute!"   
Minako paused a moment, supposedly for dramatic effect, basking in the sudden surprise and worship of the crowd. Warm feelings washed over her, and she knew that this was what it must be like to be famous. Someday, Minako would be an idol in her own right, she knew it in her soul. Without the magic of Sailor V backing her up, she would stand on her own and be adored for who she was.   
But for now, Sailor V had a battle to fight and a crowd to rescue. Already she could feel the first strands of the hypnotic spell begin to break.   
Minako turned her head slightly as a strange woman walked on stage, looking put out that the concert had been disrupted. She was dressed in a strange grey suit, with purple trimmings, which could have almost been some sort of uniform. "Who's that?" she called, looking up at Minako for a long moment as she tried to see past the disguise.   
Knowing then that this was the true enemy, Minako allowed a great and righteous anger to build in her before speaking. "You use idols", she cried in a ringing tone that was heard in the back of the concert hall without any amplification, "boys, girls, regardless of age!" She took a step down towards the strange woman, slowly, deliberately, allowing her fury and indignation to be heard. "You brainwash people!" This time, Minako could feel it as the woman's grip on the crowd began to falter.   
"Such greed!' Minako cried out, noticing for the first time that the other Dark Agency idols were gathering in the wings, "The taxation office won't allow that!" And somewhere behind her, she could hear Artemis sighing loudly. Ignoring him and the fact that what she had said didn't make very much sense, Minako pressed on with the speech she was composing.   
"I was an army foot soldier, and a newcomer beautiful idol" These statements were made to the members of the audience who gazed at her with adoring yet questioning eyes. "The real me is…" Minako paused once more for dramatic impact before calling out her henshin phrase.   
"Moon Power Transform!"   
A bright flash of light engulfed Minako, as the familiar sensation that was her henshin washed over her, filling her soul with music the most famous idols would give their souls to sing and completing her in a way she had never known. Transforming brought to Minako the knowledge of what true love and power were, and she knew that she would not hesitate to use them in this battle. As her comfortable boots were changed to high heels, and her fatigues to a suitably-armoured fuku, Sailor V felt her old self melt away, her long hair suddenly flying free, though her trademark red ribbon still kept it back from her face. She knew from experience that a golden crescent moon shone brightly on her forehead, and a red, feathered mask protected her identity from the general public.   
"Code name: Sailor V", she murmured to herself, wondering not for the first time what those words meant. She leapt forward the last few steps to land agilely before the Dark Agency officer, her movements and words fluid. "I am the soldier of justice, the sailor-suited beautiful soldier", these words were still said in a voice for all the audience to hear, though they were primarily directed at those of the Dark Agency, "I am Sailor V."   
Before the enemy could react to her declaration, Sailor V threw her crescent boomerang at the locked rear doors of the auditorium. "Everyone", she cried to the audience, "take shelter!" Still slightly under the effects of the mind-controlling hypnosis, most of the innocent victims started to file from the studio, hopefully headed towards their homes and families.   
"You're interrupting me, Sailor V", the woman beside her said irritably before turning to walk again. "I'm Fluorite." She snapped her fingers in the air, glancing at the many idols lining the stage. "Put an end to her."   
Suddenly they surged forward, encircling Sailor V, and several of the young pop stars launched vicious attacks at her. Sailor V kicked one of the Dark Guys into the others, before sighing aloud. "I don't have time to waste on you small fries." From seemingly out of nowhere, she pulled her compact into her hand and opened it, aiming without discrimination at the bad guys. "Crescent Beam!" A stream of intense white light shot from the compact, burning its way through the monsters to strike harmlessly at the wall behind them. She turned around, destroying another way, this time setting one of the stage curtains to smouldering in the process.   
"My pretty clones!" Fluorite cried in dismay.   
'Clones?' Minako and Artemis wondered as one, Minako feeling relief that she was only killing clones, and her companion curious about how the Dark Agency was planning on using this new technology.   
But the villain's frown quickly changed to a grin of amusement as she lifted her hands and gestured towards Sailor V as dark tendrils of energy encircled her hands. "I will stop you, V."   
Minako felt the presence of dark energy in the air as she fried another group of clones and instinctively threw herself high into the air in an almost frantic jump. She somersaulted quickly, and summoned her compact into her hand. Minako threw the compact at Fluorite as she started her fall, crying out, "Crescent boomerang!"   
The compact changed into a boomerang-shaped beam of energy, that seemed sure to hit Fluorite, but then appeared to pass through her at the last moment. The dark power around her continued to grow, and a few wisps of it started to float in the direction of Sailor V, even as her boomerang returned to her hand.   
"Icky!" Sailor V pouted as something slimy touched her. She danced away, and Artemis leapt forward to claw at the ankle of Fluorite for a moment, before being kicked away. 'What can I do?' Minako thought, stretching all of her reflexes to the limit to avoid being captured by the dark energy, 'None of my normal attacks seem to work.'   
From deep within her heart, some words emerged. Acting purely on instinct, Minako drew forth her compact once more, opening it and aiming it at her enemy, who was still trying to attack.   
"Venus Power!" Sailor V called out in a ringing voice, feeling the surge of emotion that normally only entered her as she transformed. "Love Crescent Shower!" The world around her seemed to burn with the pure light of her love for the world, and Sailor V found herself pointing upwards towards the ceiling, letting the light and hope from her compact outshine the stage lighting and the dark energy. "Pour down rain!"   
Large drops of crystal brightness condensed and started to fall from the roof. Minako grinned in response to the beauty of the scene, holding her hand out flat to catch one of the pinpricks of light that were drifting down in a gentle shower that felt like rain without any moisture. There was a small flash of light on her palm, then the spark disappeared. All around her, other sparks were flashing out as they landed on the ground and props of the stage, providing a brief moment of illumination before dying out.   
It was not so around Fluorite. The Dark Agency's officer was melting, like a witch in an old movie Minako barely remembered. Her skin seemed to collapse in on itself and drip towards the ground beside the burning sparks of light that Minako had created. Her clones were similarly melting, dripping down until they were little more than a puddle on the ground that evaporated into nothingness.   
After a few moments it was all over, leaving Minako and Artemis alone on stage, looking out at the empty theatre. Sailor V took a bow as the last glittering particles twinkled to the ground, acknowledging her absent audience. Her movement betrays a grace and sadness that is not shown on her face, hidden as it is by the mask, and yet Artemis seemed to sense it, coming over to brush his head and neck against her ankle in a very normal-feline act of reassurance.   
"Mina", he said with a touch of pride in his voice, "you did it!"   
Startled out of her moment of though, Minako grinned at him with a hint of her own assurance. A brief giggle preceded her words. "I guess I showed I can do it, for once." If her tone was slightly mocking of the cat, her stance did not emphasise it. Sighing slightly, Minako headed for the stairs to make her way from the studio.   
  
"I don't believe that Fluorite was the true enemy", Artemis said sometime later, as they made their way home from the Crown Game Centre. Once again he was riding on Minako's shoulder, and she had resumed her human form once more. A bag of shopping burdened one hand, and her schoolbag hung limply over her other shoulder.   
Minako thought back over the encounter, and reluctantly concluded that the cat was probably right. Although Fluorite had been a hard enemy to defeat, and judging by her clothes had probably held some rank in the Dark Agency, she was not their leader. That battle would no doubt eventually come.   
"There should a more powerful enemy", Artemis' words echoed her own thoughts unconsciously. A side part of Minako noted that this was not the first time the cat's way of thinking matched her own, and wondered if they were spending too much time together.   
"I will practice more and more then", she said in a quiet vow, "for the day when I will face and defeat that powerful enemy."   
Suddenly Minako looked up, feeling the attention of someone wash over her. A teenage girl, about the same age as her, realised that she was staring and looked away, turning her attention to the Sailor V poster advertised in the arcade's window. Her short red hair was slightly wavy, and the short boy next to her had thick rounded glasses that completely obscured his eyes. Minako couldn't shake the idea that she had seen this girl before.   
"Wow, the new Sailor V game", the girl gushed in an incredibly enthusiastic voice. "Sailor V's so cool!"   
Minako sighed, thinking to herself, 'Yes, at the moment Sailor V is cool. But how long until she is unpopular once more? Fame is fickle like the weather, always changing, willing to dessert you at a moment's notice.'   
And there had been no sign of Kaitou Ace at the battle either. She had fought alone, as it often seemed was Sailor V's destiny, the solitary soldier of justice.   
But was this going to be always the case? Sailor Moon had been discovered in America, and it was clear that Artemis had great hopes for the two of them to fight the enemy together someday. What on earth was Sailor Moon like, anyway? She looked like she wasn't much of a soldier, but then, neither had Minako when she had started out. And those still pictures had really given no indication of the girl's personality except that she had been afraid of the enemy, which any sane person would be in their first encounter.   
Would Sailor Moon like her as a person? Did Minako want Sailor Moon to like her as a person? Minako wasn't sure. And did Sailor Moon's arrival herald the coming of an era when Sailor V and Artemis' long search for the princess was finally over? Minako sighed, wishing that she knew the answers to all her questions.   
Not looking back, Minako headed for home, wondering what the future would bring for her.   
  
_ …Sailor V shook her head in disgust, kicking aside the minion of the enemy who fought her. As she turned her back to deal with another monster, the first rose up from the ground, reaching forth its tentacles to wrap them tightly around her neck. As the air was squeezed out of her throat, Sailor V saw her life flash before her eyes, and waited for the blessed release of silence to come. But it did not.   
Just as the edges of her vision were starting to go blurry, something bright and sharp flicked past her, causing the monster to drop her with a cry of pain. Sailor V reacted instantly, calling out "Crescent Beam Smash" in a loud voice as she pointed at the monster, before turning and obliterating its friend. When the bright lights of her attack faded, she looked up expectantly, hoping to see who it was who saved her.   
But the street is empty, all the normal people hiding in fear of the monsters and all allies gone for fear of exposing their secret identities. There is only one clue to the identity of her saviour, a small playing card that looks as if it has been negligently dropped on the ground by one careless shopper.   
"The Jack of Hearts", Sailor V murmurs, remembering something she was once told, "a young man who is anxious to promote the Queen's welfare, protecting and becoming an ally to her for one or another matter." But who would leave such a thing behind, and did it actually represent a message for Sailor V? She is the solitary soldier of love and beauty, Sailor V, who can form no attachment for fear of losing those she loves best. No one would dare to attempt to break through her icy heart and risk the young woman inside, would they?   
Turning away, Sailor V walks from the battle slowly, not savouring her victory but pondering her rescue. As she walked silently along the beach, her hips swaying gently and her hair caught by the breeze, the scene slowly fades, to be replaced by three words.   
"To be continued…"_


	6. Segue… 2

Author's Notes: Lookit! I'm alive.   
Okay, so this isn't my best work (in fact, it's deliberately bad), but when I finally thought of what I needed / wanted to be the little bridging piece between the Sailor V arc and the Sailor Moon one, I wrote it as badly as possible. Hopefully, this will inspire me to actually get back to writing this story more often.   
I can't make any promises though, as I only really have time now because I'm ill with the flu. I started a PhD too, and that is very hard work. I'm going to try my best though.   
Anyway, I'm sorry this is just a teaser (my note here is better value than the actual story piece, I'm afraid), but hopefully I'll follow up on my plan to write at least one night a week and you'll hear from me more often from now on.  
  
**Fly Me To The Moon**  
  
Segue…  
  
She stood before the monster,  
Her eyes like crystal sand.  
Against all scientific logic her tiara  
Appeared within her hand.   
  
She posed as if throwing a discus,   
Her tiara started to glow.   
As she twirled, her skirt lifted slightly,  
And all time seemed to slow.   
  
Her words were ever unheard,  
The monster crumbled to dust.  
The eyes of her fans lit with pleasure,  
We applauded, as all good fans must.  
  
I lost my heart to a soldier,  
To a brave spirit, sure and true.   
I wished with my soul she would stay here,  
As I looked in her eyes, so blue.   
  
  
  
_"Ode to Sailor Moon" (verses 1-4 of 19) _  
by Melvin Smith  
Appeared in _"Branching Paths"_, the Crossroads High School Newspaper.  
  
  
Expect Chapter Five (set in Metropolis) soonish! 


End file.
